NT man who put out girlfriend’s eye imprisoned

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LOCKPORT – Donnell J. Kent, already serving state prison time for three Niagara Falls burglaries, picked up additional prison time Wednesday for blinding his girlfriend in the right eye by shooting her with a BB gun.

“It was reckless and it was idiotic. I understand that,” said Kent, 20, of North Tonawanda. He shot the 16-year-old girl May 8 and pleaded guilty to attempted second-degree assault, as well as second-degree bail jumping for skipping mental health court in Niagara Falls.

Niagara County Judge Sara Sheldon Farkas gave Kent 1 1/3 to four years on top of the 2 1/3 to seven years he is serving on the Falls burglaries.

Assistant District Attorney Joseph A. Scalzo said he always thought the shooting was accidental.

Kent said, “I saw no possible way for her to get hurt. I shot [the BB gun] three times.”

The girl’s father said his daughter suffers from headaches and her school grades are falling. “She cries a lot,” the father said. “I’m extremely angry. … The BB’s still in her head because, believe it or not, it would do more damage to take it out.”